UN chief hails DRC, M23 agreement as step toward peace in eastern Congo

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday welcomed the signing of a Declaration of Principles between the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebel group, formally known as the March 23 Movement (AFC/M23).

“I welcome the signature of the Declaration of Principles between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo & the AFC/M23,” Guterres said in a statement posted on X.

“The UN remains committed to supporting efforts toward peace, protection of civilians & stability in the DRC in close collaboration with national authorities, regional & international partners,” he added.

Representatives of both parties signed the declaration on Saturday, following weeks of diplomatic engagement aimed at easing violence in the country's east.

The deal comes just weeks after Rwanda and Congo signed a separate peace agreement on June 27 in Washington, fueling hopes for an end to the fighting.

Congo and Western nations accuse Rwanda of backing M23 rebels since its resurgence in 2021, a charge Rwanda consistently denies.

The M23 rebel group, at the center of the conflict in eastern Congo, controls significant territory, including the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu, which it seized earlier this year.